What Is Difference Between Wire-Haired & Broken Coat?

With hundreds of dog breeds and a million mixes, it's only natural that their fur coats come in virtually countless styles. Some of the common types of coats include short, long, smooth, double, feathered, curly and broken. Unlike the hair of many breeds, the broken coat on the wire-haired dog, in its preferred state, is not supposed to be soft, fluffy or silky.

Wire Coat or Broken Coat

A wire coat is the same thing as a broken coat. It has a coarse outer layer of fur that helps protect the dog from cold weather by keeping the skin and fur close to the body dry. Many dog breeds that originate in cold climate countries have wire coats.

Dogs With Broken Coats

Many different dogs have broken coats. Dogs with wire hair include the Schnauzer, the Jack Russell terrier, the dachshund and the Scottish terrier. Other popular breeds known for broken coats include the Affenpinscher, the border terrier, the Brussels Griffon, the Irish terrier and the West Highland terrier.

Grooming Wire Hair

Dogs with wire hair do not shed. When grooming a dog with a broken coat, you do not want to shave him. You want to pluck unruly hairs that are out of place. Hold a few hairs at a time, and pull them down and straight out in the same direction of the growth.